The papers in this collection represent the proceedings of the 11th International Wheat Genetics Symposium, held in Brisbane, Australia, 24-29 August 2008. This symposium is the 11th in a series held every 5 years under the auspices of the International Organising Committee of the IWGS which comprises representatives of the two previous host countries, and a selection of other eminent wheat geneticists elected at the previous two symposia. This symposium series presents the international state of the science of the genetics and allied sciences applied to bread and durum wheats and their related species.